Swimming pad



Nov. 17, 1936. F. M. MCCLURE SWIMMING PAD Filed June 24, 1955 11v VENTOR Fasfer M Mcflure A TTORNE Y Patented Nov. 17, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

My invention relates to a pad to be used upon the hand of the swimmer to facilitate swimming, and the objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a semi-flexible pad through which the fingers and thumb of the swimmer pass so that the pad is supported on the front side of the fingers and thumb to facilitate swimming;

Second, to provide a pad of this class in which all the fingers and. thumb pass through the pad leaving narrow strips between and outwardly of the thumb and little finger which are yieldable and stretchable to provide great flexibility in use;

Third, to provide a pad of this class in which the back portion of the pad is supported on the back portion of the hand and the front portion of the pad on the front side of the fingers;

Fourth, to provide a pad of this class with a Wrist band which is resilient and is stretched so that the pad may be readily and quickly applied to the hand or quickly removed;

Fifth, to provide a pad of this class which may be used interchangeably for either right or left hand without change of structure;

Sixth, to provide a pad of this class which is positively supported in its proper position on the front side of the fingers of the hand to provide a maximum result of water contacting area;

Seventh, to provide a pad of this class the outer edge of which extends past the ends of the fingers a short distance as well as past the sides of the outer fingers or thumb and little finger; and

Eighth, to provide a pad of this class which is very simple and economical of construction, easy to put on and take off the hand, positive in operation, efficient in action, and which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order.

With these and other objects in View as will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of cer tain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the characters of reference thereon which form a part of this application in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of my pad shown positioned on the left hand ready for use in swimming; Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the same positioned on the right hand of a swimmer ready for use in swimming; Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the same removed from the hand, and Fig. 4 is an end view from the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the several views of the drawing.

The pad I is substantially semi-lemniscate in form, as shown in the drawing, and is preferably of suificient size to extend slightly past the ends 5 of the fingers and thumb when positioned on the hand of the swimmer, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing. It is provided near its back side with a thumb receiving opening 2; with a first finger receiving opening 3; a second finger receiving opening 4; a third finger receiving opening 5, and a little finger receiving opening 6. This pad is made of sheet rubber or sheet rubber with a fabric reinforcing so that it is semi-flexible and resilient. The spaces between the finger openings and outwardly from the thumb and little finger openings are substantially narrow to provide resiliency so that these portions stretch if necessary to provide comfort and ease when supported on the inner side of the fingers and thumb 20 in swimming. The back portion is provided with an extended portion 1 to which is secured a resilient band 8. It will be noted that the band may be an integral part of the strip and made all in one piece. When placed upon the right hand the portion 1 is outwardly; when placed upon the left hand the portion I is inwardly, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1 of the drawing, and the band 8 is turned inside out when positioned on the left hand, as shown in Fig. l of the drawing. 30

The pad is positioned on the hand as follows: When positioning on the right hand the band 8 is stretched over the fingers and thumb; the thumb is positioned backwardly through the thumb hole 2, and the fingers backwardly through the finger holes 3, 4, 5 and 6, and the whole is drawn onto the hand so that the band 8 is positioned around the wrist and the fingers and thumb through the openings 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, with the pad positioned on the front portion of the fingers and thumb and on the back side of the hand. In position on the left hand the band 8 is turned inside out and is then positioned on the left hand in the same manner as that described for positioning on the right hand.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A swimming pad comprising a semi-flexible and resilient sheet of substantially fan Shape and 50 the size of the hand with the fingers and thumb spread, provided with five finger and thumb openings near one end thereof to receive the four fingers and thumb therethrough so that the forward portion of the pad is on the forward side of the fingers and the rearward portion of the pad on the back side of the hand, and a resilient band secured at right angles to the main axis of said pad at the said end adapted to receive the hand and support the pad around the wrist of the wearer.

2. A swimming pad comprising a fan shaped single sheet of resilient material of approximately the size of a human hand when open with the fingers spread, provided with five relatively long rearwardly converging finger and thumb holes therethrough near the rearward end of said pad in close relation to each other, and a resilient band secured to the rear extremity of said pad to the rear of said finger holes adapted to fit around the wrist of the wearer.

FOSTER M. McoLfJRE. 

